Count yourself in! First Student Equity Census launched

The Office of Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion (OEDI) in partnership with the Office of Student Experience and the Office of Institutional Analysis (OIA), launched the first university-wide Student Equity Census, available on the Student Centre portal. A primary aim is to understand the demographic composition of UCalgary’s student community in relation to the wider community, to ensure our campus community is one that all students can equitably access and flourish within.  Also, Census data will enable us to measure our progress to ensure our actions match our words.  

All students are asked to take part in this short, confidential three-to-five-minute Census. Results will be calibrated yearly, publicly reported on the EDI dashboard and in an OEDI annual EDI Data Report to the Community.  

The Census is accessible through the Student Centre found on the my.ucalgary.ca portal or visit the Student Equity Census webpage for further information about how to complete the Census. 

The University of Calgary wants to better understand the unique demographic composition of our campus by asking to hear directly from the student body. This Census is an opportunity for all students to give feedback in a confidential way. The data collected will be aggregated and used to make evidence-based decisions about policies and the type of programs, supports and services that are needed to meet our student needs.   

“At the heart of this Census is the desire to better support our students, to remove barriers to participation in a student’s experience at the University of Calgary and to expose gaps in our program and service offerings," says Dr. Susan Barker, vice-provost (student experience). 

“This first ever Student Equity Census is critical to the work of ensuring an equitable, diverse, inclusive and accessible campus. We need the data to establish a benchmark of our student composition, experiences and needs. We will use these data to create policies, processes and systems that remove barriers to access, participation and success. We recognize we need to do better for all our students; we need to incorporate an EDI lens into everything we do. The results will enable us to be more accountable in responding to equity gaps by identifying specific areas where we can improve,” says Dr. Malinda Smith, vice-provost and associate vice-president research (EDI).  

Census data will allow the university to identify any patterns or trends and ameliorate barriers that may impede an individual’s success within the University of Calgary. The data will also inform OEDI’s strategies, support the university to measure progress and build accessible and equitable pathways towards a diverse and inclusive campus community.  

The Census is accessible at any time; however, students are encouraged to complete it by Dec. 31, 2021 in order to be included in the 2021 EDI dashboard. 

For more information on the Student Equity Census, visit the website or contact equity@ucalgary.ca.